Vibratory exercise table



Dec. 29, 1925 4 A. H. STEBBINS VIBRA'I'ORY EXERCISE TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 23, 1924 lNl/ENTOR ATTORNEY Dec; 29 25- A, H. STEBBINS VIBRATOR-Y EXERCISE TABLE Fiied July 23, 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Paanaa Dec. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

mnar H. srnnnms, or Los moms, cunomua.

vmnaronx rum.

Application filed July as, 1924. Serial in. 721,113.

To all whom it concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. STEBBINS,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented an Improvement in Vibratory Exercise Tables,

" This invention relates to a vibratory table for stimulating and exercising the human body. a

blood and the action of the muscles may be stimulated in any portion of the body by applying a vibratory device to the portion of thehuman body it is desired to treat, and

' small, portable, vibratory devices are now- .in' extenslve use.

It is found that the entire be benefited by subjecting .it to a rapid vibratory force, and the present invention, therefore relates to a simple and inexpensive construction of an exercise table adapted to It is known that the circulation of the.

human body may support a person in a lying position, andprovided with mechanism for movingthe table back and forth'rapidly in the direction n inclusive, a supporting frame 10 is provided of its length with vibratoryeflect.

' Although the vibratory table of the present invention is adapted to support a person in a lying position, the person undergoing a vibratory treatment may assume a sitting or inclined position upon the table if it is desired to reduce the vibratory eflects upon certain portions of the bod and the vibratory effect upon portion o the person may also be reduced by placing a soft pillow or air cushion under the persons head or body.

YTo secure the most effective orbeneficial treatment, the table should move back and forth in the direction of its length and should be given a short but rapid movement,

and it may be desirable to move the table more energetically in one direction than the other to impart a progressive vibratory movement to the table,'which progressive movement may be employed to promote the flow of blood either toward or away' 'from a.

personshead. i

One important feature of the invention resides in novel means for supporting 'the exercise table for vibratory movement in the direction of its length.

Another feature of the invention resides tory exercise table constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is'a top plan view of the supporting 1frame with the table indicated by dotted ines;

F ig.*3 is an end view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side view of the operating eccentric and associated parts.

Fig. 5 on a reduced scale is a side elevation of modified construction of a vibratory exercise table.

Fig. 6 on an enlarged scale is a sectional view' of the table supporting means of Fig. 5; and,

shaft and the; eccentric operated sheave of Fig. 5.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 and table respectively. The construction of the posts 11 is such that while theyv possess sulficient rigidity to remain-in an upright position and support the table under operating condition, they at the same time are sufficiently flexible to yield laterally to permit the table to move back and forth a short distance in the direction of-its length.

The person undergoing vibratory treatment may lie flat upon the table 12 as shown in Fig. 1, or may assume an' inclined or sitting position, depending upon whether the entire body or only a portion thereof is-to be subjectedto the vibratory movement, and the persons head may rest upon a pillow 16 which may comprise anair cushion. A cable 17 stretched between vthe upstanding ,Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the eccentric Y brackets 18 may be provided at each side of the table 12 to'assist in retaining'the person in place upon the table.

The means for moving the table 12 back and forth with a short rapid movement may be variously constructed, and as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive consists of a spring 19 for yieldingly moving the table in one direction and of an eccentric operated means for alternately pulling the table in the opposite direction. One end of the spring 12) is secured to a hook fastened to the under face of the table, and the other end of the spring engages a hook at the upper end of an inclined rod 20 extending upwardly from the supporting frame 10, and the tension of the spring 19 may be varied by rotating a hand wheel 21 having threaded engagement with the lower end of the rod 20. .i bowed rod 22 having its ends journaled in blocks 23 upon the supporting frame is provided to hold the upper end of the rod 20 elevated, and an intermediate portion of the rod 22 has a depression 24 (see Fig 3) in which the rod 20 rests.

The table 12 is moved in opposition to the spring 19 by a flexible pitman or strap 25, one end of which is .secured to the table at 26, and the opposite end is secured to a yoke 27 having a central opening to receive the eccentric 28 upon the shaft 29. The-opposite ends of the shaft 29 are journaled in blocks 30 supported by the brackets 31 secured to and extending upwardly from the frame 10. A. sheave 32 is secured to the shaft and is driven by a belt 33 operated by the electric motor 84. As the eccentric 28 rotates in the yoke 27 it alternately pulls the pitman in the direction of its length to move the table 12 in a left-hand direction, and, as the pitman is moved in the opposite direction by the eccentric, the table is permitted to move in a right-hand direction under the pull of the spring 19. The pitman 25 preferably is made flexible so that it will bend, in

case it is moved in a right-hand direction by its eccentric more rapidly than the table is moved by the spring 19.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the table supporting and operating means described is simple and inexpensive to construct and that it is strong and durable, and, since the vibrating table is moved back and forth through a short distance, the semirigid posts 11 support the table in a very satisfactory manner.

In Figs. 5 and 6 a modified means is shown for supportingthe table 12 for vibratory 'n1oven1ent,' consisting of coiled springs 35, one end of which .is seated in a plate 36 secured to the supporting frame 10, and the other end of the spring is seated in a plate 37 secured to the under face of the table 12. Each spring may be maintained,

under ,a desired tension by a bolt -38 connecting the plates 36 and 37 and the bolt has a head 35) retained in a socket 40 of the upper plate, and a sleeve 41 surrounding-the bolt is confined in a socket 42 of the lower plate.

The supporting springs 35-and bolts 38 permit the table a limited movement in the direction of its length.

A somewhat different means from that shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive is disclosed in Fig. 5 for operating the table. In Fig. 5 the table is pulled in a right-hand direction by a spring 44 having one end secured to the hook 45 and the other end secured to the adjustable bolt 46, and ispulled in the opposite direction by a cable 47. The cable has one end secured to the table at 48 and its opposite end is adjustably secured to the supportin frame at 49. An intermediate portion of the cable 47 passes around the sheave 50'mounted upon the eccentric 51 of a rotating shaft 52 which shaft is driven by a belt 53 engaging the sheave 54. As the eccentric 51 rotates it moves the sheave 50 so that it alternately pulls and slacks off the cable 47 to move the table 12 in a left-hand direction and then release it to move in a right-hand direction under the action of the spring 44.

In each of the table operating means shown, the table is moved by a spring in one direction and by positively actuated means in the opposite direction, and as a result the movement imparted to the table may be more energetic in one direction than the other to impart a progressive vibratory movement to the table, which movement may be utilized to promote the flow of blood either toward or from the persons head, de pending upon whether the persons head is placed at one end of the table or the other.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. A vibratory exercise machine, com-. prising in combination, a table mounted for movement back and forth in the direction of its length and constructed to support a erson in a lying position, yielding means or moving the table in one direction, a flexible pitman for pulling the table in the opposite direction and constructed and arranged so that it will, bow or bend under longitudinal pressure to avoid sudden change of direction of table movement under a pushin action of the eccentric, and an eccentric For alternately pulling the pitman to move the table in the direction of its treated, including a spring for pulling the u table in one direction, a flexible pitman for pulling are table in the opposite direction: and constructed to bend or bow to avoid sudden change in the direction of thetable movement, and a rotating eccentric for alternatelypulling the flexible pitman in the direction of its length to actuate the table with vibratory effect. I

3. A vibratory exercise machine, comprising' in combination, a supporting frame having upwardly extending semi-rigid posts, a tableconstructed to support a person in a lying position and secured to the upper ends of said posts and su ported thereby for a limited back and fort vibratory movement,

means for. vibrating the table more energetl5 ically in one direction than the other to stimulate the flow of blood lengthwise of the person being treated, including a flexible connection for pulling the table in one direction and adapted .to bend or bow under lengthwise pressure, an eccentric for actuating the flexible connection to alternately pull the table in the direction ofv its length and then release it, and a spring for pulling the table in the opposite direction.

In testimony w ereof, I have-signed my ecification. BEIQT H. STEBBINS.

name to this 

